1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to utility meter reading telemetry systems and more particularly to a remote meter reading KW maximum demand meter having a pulse initiator for generating pulses directly related to measured kilowatt demand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electric utility remote meter reading telemetry systems, kilowatthour meters are often equipped with mechanical and electronic pulse initiators. Pulses are produced in response to the meter movement when measuring electric energy consumption. Examples of pulse initiators or generators driven by the gearing of a watthour meter dial register are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,335,529; 2,451,971; 2,894,146; and 3,315,192. The electric energy indicating pulses produced by these generators actuate a remote totalizer or remote register or an associated encoder. The meter reading encoders are adapted to transmit coded meter reading pulses to a central station.
Often systems for remote metering of electric energy include apparatus for measuring peak or maximum power demand usage. It is known to utilize the kilowatthour indicating pulses as inputs to a recording or indicating demand meter device such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,742,073; 2,285,859; and 2,832,067. Also, the kilowatthour pulses are recorded on magnetic tape also having a simultaneous record of time spaced pulses. Examples of the aforementioned watthour meter tape recording systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,148,329; and 3,470,470. The watthour energy pulses are also applied to totalizing systems such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,888 or load regulation devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,452 also requiring a source of time interval signals to calculate the power usage or power demand. Each of the aforementioned power demand measuring devices derive KW demand by effectively dividing the kilowatthour pulse values by a demand interval, typical fifteen or thirty minutes, as is well known. Accordingly, a number of kilowatthour pulses occurring during each demand interval is correlated to the power demand for that interval. The highest measured demand occurring in any of the demand intervals of a billing period, normally on a monthly basis, defines the maximum or peak KW demand for billing purposes.
Direct meter readings of measured maximum demand at kilowatthour meter devices equipped with dial reading demand registers are well known and are described and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,259,314; 3,421,084; 3,805,154; and 3,913,014 all assigned to the assignee of this invention. The aforementioned registers provide two dial readings including maximum demand and electric energy as is typical in such registers. The aforementioned meter registers do not provide a direct electronic pulse representation of the maximum demand for remote meter reading telemetry systems.